Mario Andretti confirms Colton Herta is on the prime of Cadillac’s F1 driver listing

In line with racing legend and Cadillac advisor Mario Andretti, American IndyCar driver Colton Herta is nonetheless the odds-on favourite to be known as up for driving responsibility when the staff hits the Components 1 grid for the 2026 season. And he says the Common-Motors-backed squad is trying to finalize its driver roster quickly.

“Trying again on the approach Colton has educated from the very starting of his younger profession — as you realize, he began in Components 3 and so forth with the likes of Lando Norris, and he is carried out some F1 testing,” Andretti mentioned. “Zak Brown gave him a superb check at Portimao in Portugal. You must see the report that we received from [team principal] Andrea Stella. And Andrea is a person that claims it like it’s — so once more, [Herta’s] a terrific candidate. And all of this must be confirmed, after all, however stepping into, he is a superb guess, in my view.”

The once-Andretti-branded eleventh staff has by no means made a secret of desirous to pair an American driver with an skilled F1 veteran. As Andretti talked about, Herta has already tested an F1 car for McLaren at Portimao, again in 2022. In 2024, he ended his IndyCar season with Andretti Global as runner-up in the series, and can proceed his title hunt with the staff for 2025.

READ OUR FULL INTERVIEW WITH MARIO ANDRETTI ON CADILLAC F1, HIS ROLE, AND HAMILTON AT FERRARI

Colton Herta, driving the McLaren MCL35M in his check at Portimao

Photograph by: McLaren

“Some errors had been made final 12 months that price him a championship, and sadly that occurs,” Andretti informed Motorsport. “Generally you place an excessive amount of strain on your self and then you definately make that mistake. However if you have a look at the components that had been there, you had the components of a champion. However for simply a type of cases, he might have been champion. So, if you look again and assess all these issues, you have to really feel fairly good.”

When requested if he felt the 24-year-old confirmed a distinct aspect to his recreation in 2024 by being a extra constant frontrunner to match his pure flip of pace, Andretti mentioned. “Not solely that, however he is additionally very versatile. He is good in each space, just like the ovals, quick ovals, superspeedway. He is aggressive all over the place, so he is undoubtedly championship materials.

As for the timing of signing drivers, Andretti confirmed that the method is in progress. “All the things is on-going proper now. You consider these issues day by day, and that is going to turn out to be official in all probability mid-year,” he mentioned.

“We’re clearly taking a look at each side of each alternative that is there. It is clear that the targets are to have not less than one American driver after which one other skilled driver alongside, and begin like that.”

One among Herta’s subsequent hurdles: getting his FIA superlicense. Successful the 2024 IndyCar season finale in Nashville briefly raised his superlicense factors tally to 39, out of a required 40. However as of the brand new 12 months, Herta has 32 factors, a results of his 2021 season dropping out of the superlicense complete that pushes Herta farther again from the magic quantity.

Ending within the prime 5 this IndyCar season would get him totally throughout the road. However Herta can even earn one level per Components 1 FP1 session, so long as he completes 100km in every outing. With groups now being required to run 4 rookies per 12 months in observe classes, there could also be extra alternatives for Herta to log essential superlicense factors and get helpful seat time.